“Who are you assuming that he’s going to start with?” Laviolette asked.

Good question.

Preseason presumptions were made that Lecavalier, the franchise icon in Tampa who signed a 5-year, $22.5 million free agent contract with the Flyers in July to take over as the club’s second-line center, would most likely partner with forechecking forwards Brayden Schenn and Wayne Simmonds. But the sly coach might have other things up his sleeve.

Don’t be surprised to see versatile Matt Read at least occasionally manning left wing on the second line, with Simmonds charged with right wing puck-digging duties.

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As for Lecavalier, he’ll probably be asked to be more of a scorer than a set-up man in these early days as a Flyer. Of course, that could change.

It’s never good to make presumptions.

“I don’t view (Simmonds) as kind of a banger-winger,” Laviolette said. “He was one of our top goal scorers for the past two years. He puts the puck in the net and Vinny distributes the puck. He’s put up a lot of points in his career, but not only goals. We’ve tried different people in that position as well. I think we’re still looking at it.”

It will be Lecavalier that Flyers fans focus on Wednesday night, as the club opens the regular season against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Wells Fargo Center.

Still youthful at 33, rock solid at 6-4 and 215, crafty after 383 goals and 874 points over 14 Lightning seasons, Lecavalier is a prototypical support player to top center Claude Giroux, one that also happens to be a role model.

“He’s real nifty with the puck,” Schenn said Tuesday of Lecavalier. “He’s really creative; thinks the game, obviously, has a heck of a shot and is good on both ends.”

But how good can he be without a sharp-shooting winger next to him? One like his longtime cohort in Tampa, Marty St. Louis?

“Actually, we only played (on a line) together three full seasons,” Lecavalier said of his decade-long Tampa teammate, who joined him most frequently on one of the league’s most dangerous power play units. “Most of the time in Tampa before that I was with Vinny Prospal and (Ruslan) Fedotenko. ... The last few years I’ve had a lot of different wingers.”

Apparently, that’s not going to change with his switch to Philadelphia.

While the Flyers can really lock and load with a power play that would sometimes feature Lecavalier and Giroux on the same unit, Lecavalier is versatile enough to succeed with different linemates. Hence either Read or Schenn could play across from Simmonds.

Yet there is a lack of skilled shooters on this team. It’s not as obvious a problem as the basketball team down the hall behind closed doors might have, but there’s no St. Louis types capable of draining long slapshots with any kind of consistency.

Then again, Lecavalier can feed off a power forward game probably as well as he does off contributions from a skilled winger.

“He’s a great player,” Simmonds said. “He has unbelievable skill, and he’s smart with the puck. I’m just trying to hopefully build some chemistry with him so we can stick together during the season.”

While hockey lines are about as permanent as the ink on collective bargaining agreements, already there’s a debate as to which Flyers are best suited to put next to Lecavalier. But he seems set on Schenn and “Simmer” creating plenty of offensive heat on his line.

“(Schenn) and Simmer are really on that puck,” Lecavalier said. “It’s going to give us opportunities in the (attack) zone off the forecheck. All three of us buzzing around, freeing up pucks and getting opportunities. ... There’s a big difference in the system from last year to this year for me. It’s getting the puck in the offensive zone and keeping it there, not just a one opportunity and you’re out. (Simmonds) is great at it. Schenn as well.”

That said, Lecavalier won’t be expected to just skate around looking like an admiring pupil. As the summer’s prize acquisition, he is expected to do what only elite players in the league can — make a real difference for a so-so offensive team.

“I want to produce,” Lecavalier said. “I want to do well and help this team as much as I can and be consistent. Staying confident, staying on top of things. ... It’s going to be good with (Schenn and Simmonds) because they’re both good at getting to the puck and getting it to me.

“We’ll get some opportunities.”

Of course they will. ... Presuming they end up playing together.

* * *

NOTES: As expected, the Flyers slotted Chris Pronger’s salary under long term injury. That enabled them to reassign Adam Hall to the big club as the fourth-line center. They left Bruno Gervais with the Phantoms and kept Hal Gill, signing him to a 1-year, $700,000 contract. “I’m part of the team now and however everything works out is how it works out,” said Gill, 38. “I’m happy to be part of this team because it’s a team that has a shot to win and that’s what you want.” ... No starting goalie was announced for the game, but it’s expected to be Ray Emery. Don’t presume, though.